31. Arguments about chili are ubiquitous

There are many different takes on how to make chili. Chopped meat or ground meat? Which meat -- beef is the favorite, but I have had a very good one made from venison, my eldest son has eaten an armadillo chili, and I have heard of bear. There is a strong contingent who insist on chicken.

What is in the liquid? Some use tomato juice, some use wine, some use beer, some use beef stock, some use a combination of two or more of these.

Which peppers to use? Ancho, jalapeņo, pasilla, cayenne and poblanos are probably the favorites, but you will certainly find others. I once was served some chili made with too many serranos that was frankly inedibly hot.

Cumin, garlic, onions and oregano are standard ingredients.

Of course, there is the biggie -- beans or no beans? With, of course, disputes about which bean -- red kidney beans are the most common, but white beans (navy, great northern or cannellini) are popular with some.

I am of the chopped beef, tomato juice/red wine, ancho or poblano, no beans school. My wife is of the ground beef, tomato juice, beans school. I have accused her of leaning over the pot and whispering "chili peppers", taking care not to say it too loudly. She denies this, but it is fair to say that her chili is remarkably mild.